Avengers Initative X
by Verthril
Summary: Taking a deal he never thought he would, Logan joins the Avengers in return for the promise they'd save her life. Now one stronger, though they've come to trust one another they'll have to become a team to face an enemy they never thought they'd see again. Tony/Pepper - Natasha/Clint - Kitty/Bruce / AU : X-men where Logan never joined but still met his Darlin's.
1. Chapter 1

_Marvel owns Iron-man, the Avengers and the X-men. No profit is made from this work. Reviews always welcome._

Logan held her in his arms, felt her lifeblood run down his chest, felt his tears fall freely and stain his cheeks, tasted them as they ran against his lips. He'd tried to save her, failed so miserably and painfully he felt the beast at his back, saw the red run over his eyes, fought against the berserker rage that threatened him. Pain he hadn't known in so long filled him, cradling her limp form against him. The heels of boots crushed against the debris and the gravel, looking up after a time to see a man he hadn't seen in years looking down to him, pity and sorrow a look that didn't suit Nicholas, Nick, Fury...Director of Shield.

"I know I've asked you before, but given the circumstances I'll pretend this is the first time. What's your answer?" Nick asked, armed men standing behind him with weapons drawn.

Logan looked up to him in his grief, felt a part of himself die as he looked down to her, knew he'd do anything. Holding her out to a man he'd known for longer than he'd care to have, Logan struggled for breath, struggled to let the words slip past his lips.

"Yes." Logan said after a time, Nick signalling the men behind him, their weapons lowered in an instant as they marched off.

"And?" Nick asked, the times he'd asked this question before always denied, knowing a cost when he saw it, one he was well ready to pay.

"Just save her." Logan said, laying her down in the dirt, brushing her hair from her closed pain filled eyes, running a finger down her cheeks.

"Alright. I need Medivac down her last Christmas folks! This goes beyond top priority, I don't care if your mother, grandmother and great aunt just died, get your sorry ass's down here!" Nick cried over the open line, jets flying down from the helicarrier to the scene of a battle they'd just barely missed, one that had meant so very much to them.

* * *

Tony Stark sat at the bedside and looked over the charts, the slow steady beep of the heart monitor singing a sad song as the artificial lungs breathed life for the patient.

"You're serious?" Tony asked looking up to Nick Fury who stood there with that same unreadable expression as always.

"Deadly." The patient's vitals were a mess Tony saw, the worst of it the spinal injuries that would easily leave her a paraplegic.

"What happened to her?" For the first time since Tony met the Director he saw him flinch.

"Classified." He couldn't believe it, all the clearance Tony had, the secrets he knew, and here he'd been brought in to this secret SHIELD facility asked to save this girl and he was being told it was Classified?

"Ahem, Mister Fury, I didn't ask how it happened to her, I asked _what_ happened to her." Nick stood silent, his face expressionless as he stared down Tony.

"She was caught in an explosion, the worst part of an I beam impaling her. The concerned party I was in touch with agreed to a deal where so long as we save her he'll join the Avengers Initiative." Staring at the Director of SHIELD Tony realized then that he'd love to meet the man who could get him to ask the impossible as part of a bargain.

"Okay, on a scale of one to are you crazy, what do you expect me to do?" Throwing the charts down Tony looked to the patient and just wondered how this kid had gotten mixed up in the likes of SHIELD.

"If I'm doing this, we do it my way. Get her transferred to Stark Tower, I work better there." Tony said, climbing from the bed with a last glance to the girl.

He didn't wait to watch the Director's reaction this time, Tony simply left the intensive care unit he'd been escorted to when the deadly Natasha Romanoff had pulled up at Stark Tower in his own Audi. Spending his time as a once consultant and then Avenger left him often racing off to many undisclosed places, ranging from meetings in seedy bars to high end hotels, speaking with the very curious people the agency seemed to be interested in.

To date though the most demanding task they'd asked him surely had to be this, putting some girl back together who couldn't be more than fifteen. Pushing past the military men Tony tore through the doors of the warehouse he'd been taken to, a front to disguise the secrets within. Leaning against his Audi dressed in a business suit and skirt Natasha looked just as innocent as she had on their very first meeting, innocent with a hint of danger.

"Take me to the nearest bar and mind the car." Tony said climbing in.

It was rare for Tony to ever let anyone else drive his toys, he didn't like to share. Yet he was distracted as his mind raced with ideas in a way it hadn't since his very life had hung in the balance as he was slowly killed by the very thing meant to save it.

"Just tell me one thing, she's not SHIELD is she?" Tony asked, not knowing how very much that question echoed another once before.

Turning to look to him Natasha regarded him for a moment, then jerking the wheel as the car sharply drifted around a corner that left Tony slamming into his door.

"I'll take that as a no, good to know the agency draws a line in recruitment somewhere." Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to a bar that looked something straight out of an old pulp detective novel, the windows frosted brown with unwashed dirt, the entrance a pair of mismatched wooden doors with suspicious holes through them, the neon signage above flickering with two letters burnt out.

"Seriously?" Tony asked of Natasha.

The woman feared the world over just shrugged as she exited the car to resume her place against the hood. Rubbing his eyes Tony joined her for a moment, throwing off his jacket then and rolling up his sleeves after undoing the first few buttons of his shirt.

"Make sure no one has a piss on my car while I'm gone, I just had it detailed." Throwing open the doors Tony ignored the looks thrown his way as he strode to the bar, looking to the selection of spirits gathering dust.

"Scotch, Neat. Eighteen years at least and I don't mean for how long it's sat on your shelf." The bartender to his credit just looked to Tony for a moment, turning to the shelf and pulling out a bottle of Glenlivet.

"Perfect, leave the bottle." Throwing down the cash Tony spun his finger in the air. "Round on me."

The atmosphere in the bar instantly change, the hostility bleeding out as a waitress carried pitchers of beer around, mugs set before the lone stragglers in the dark corners. On his third glass the doors to the bar opened as a patron walked in, Tony catching sight of some stout man in sorry need of a haircut talking to Natasha before they slammed shut again. Intrigued he grabbed the bottle and finished his drink in a single gulp, kicking his way past the doors to look over the scene before him. Where he expected some drunkard about to get his ass handed to him by the deadly femme fatal, he instead found the two talking quietly as if old friends.

"You going to introduce me to your friend miss Rushman?" The man turned to look at Tony, a mix of pain and anger in his eyes that left Tony just wondering if this was the very man he'd long to meet.

The stout hairy man stalked his way over then grabbed the bottle of Glenlivet only to pound it back, the fine scotch suddenly losing it's appeal Tony thought watching as it was nearly drained in a single thirsty gulp.

"Thanks for the drink bub." The bottle was pressed back into Tony's hand then, the doors to the bar slamming shut as the mysterious man left.

"I take it that's Mister Deal No Deal himself?" Tony asked pointing after him with a curious expression, Natasha simply remaining silent standing next to the car.

Tony thought about following the man but the images of the patient stole his resolve, the train of thought already rambling through his mind once more.

"Miss Rushman, kindly take me home." Climbing into his car Tony pulled out his phone quickly looking through the assets of Stark Industries for any solution to the problem that lay before him.

"You know what, take the scenic route, I need time to think." Natasha started the car, the engine purring as she placed a hand on the stick.

Revving the engine she sped, clearly enjoying the car Tony thought as he scrolled through tagging possible holdings or prominent employees until he finally noticed something amidst the sea of technology available to him. Looking the specs over again he saw in it a crude elegance and already ideas for how to polish this diamond in the rough. The time passed in amicable silence with Tony tapping away at his phone, jotting down quick computations that brought a twinkle to his eyes. "God damn I'm good."

He'd leave SHIELD to deal with rebuilding the poor girl's chest, his task well on it's way to finding someway to fix the damage to her spine that now left her trapped within her own body. With Natasha pulling into his private entrance, the elevator started to climb, knowing he'd have to have a look at the security systems to just figure out how she had pilfered his car from the garage. Looking out over the city that swiftly fell below them Tony heard his phone ring, cursing himself knowing he'd forgotten to make one very important call.

"Tony, there's SHIELD running all over the place. Jarvis let them in but won't tell me why, none of them have answered my questions. What is going on!" Smiling to the irritated and flustered Pepper Potts he looked to his private suite of the tower and noticed the very military looking men working away.

"Well Pepper, it appears that we're going to have a house guest." Tony said.

* * *

The last had left, the chaos the SHIELD agents and specialists had caused for the last several hours had cumulated as the medical team brought the comatose girl in to the room set up in Tony's workshop.

"A doctor and nurse will be on site twenty four hours a day in shifts, at their discretion you'll be able to see to her injuries." Tony bit his tongue at the annoyance of his home being referred to as a site by Natasha, knowing very well she was all business despite how well she portrayed the roles her line of work called upon her.

"Miss Potts." Natasha offered as she took her leave, Pepper nodding in return to Natasha's courtesy.

Watching his lovely assistant as she took in the changes to her life yet again Tony knew he'd have to make it up to her somehow. Alone with the seemingly slumbering patient he closed the distance between Pepper and drew her into his arms, placing gentle kisses upon her neck and nuzzling his chin against her shoulder, following her gaze to the bed.

"When you said house guest..." Pepper started, she was shocked he knew, really one couldn't be at looking on the petite girl so buried in medical equipment with a complexion of parchment.

"Sorry. SHIELD business, they got in over their heads so I get to bail them out." He whispered.

Tony spun Pepper about in his arms to face her, catching her lips in his own as he knew she longed to ask the very question he had asked of Nick earlier. Noses touching Tony forced a smile as he caught her eyes then.

"It doesn't matter how or why, just that I will help her." With his arm about her shoulder Tony lead Pepper from the bedside and to the exit of his workshop, pausing as they neared the doors.

"Jarvis, how about a some Debussy for our guest, Clair de Lune?" As the first notes played Tony felt a smile tug at his lips, hoping in some way the poor girl could hear the beautiful work if only to bring her some peace for now.

Together they sat near the edge of the tower, a blanket draped about them with only the heavens above and the city below spread before them. It'd been their favourite retreat for quiet moments, the joke of Rhodey taken so very literally since that day at the Expo.

"You have a board meeting at ten." Rubbing his eyes Tony realized it was easily three in the morning and still not the least bit tired between the hectic day he'd had and the company he now kept.

"Send Happy. Tell him to take notes and punch anyone who sounds like an idiot, wait no that would be the better part of the board, get him to text you who to punch." Tony watched in surprise as Pepper changed the agenda for the day, Happy surely in for a surprise in the morning.

"My, my miss Potts, you really did learn what it's like to be a CEO didn't you?" Any further remark was silenced as she employed what he could very well believe was a grapple or throw learnt from none other than Natasha, Tony finding himself under her as she placed a knee between his legs, her lips brushing his own.

"If you ever do that to me again I'll kill you." Pepper whispered as she painfully bit his ear, the memory of her time as CEO of Stark Industries one he knew she longed to forget.

"Depending on how you do it Pepper, I might die a happy man." Grinning up to her Tony watched as her fatal facade shattered, Pepper laughing as she nearly straddled him.

"Did you wish me to clear the rest of your schedule Mister Stark?" Pepper asked with a pout, Tony coughing at how stunning she looked.

"Depends on what you have in mind Miss Potts?" Deft keystrokes later Pepper threw her phone over her shoulder as it skittered along, Tony drawing his arms about her as they embraced another under the night sky, playfully pulling the offending garments from another that stood in the way of the only meeting the two longed for that moment, one filled by the unrequited passion that had burnt between them for so very long until finally neither could ignore its heat.

* * *

Daylight streamed in through the blinds, Tony tugged awake regretfully as he hissed in discomfort. Pepper was gone already, one of these days he swore he'd surely tire her enough to laze in bed as he did so enjoy after the sexual escapades they'd enjoyed the previous night. Feeling the scratches down his back and the nail bites in his bottom he knew that was a promise that he'd be hard pressed to keep, the prim and proper assistant a veritable vixen. Rubbing his eyes Tony finally threw off the sheets and walked off to his en suite bath, relishing the steam from of the shower that sprung to life as he threw the door open, perfectly set to the point of nearly scalding as he worked out the stiffness and aches of his muscles.

"Jarvis, how are our guests doing today?" Tony asked soaking his head under the spray.

The Artificial Intelligence modelled after a butler related the news, spoke of the medical team and the patient in their care. As the avatar for the computing power he had at his disposal, Tony listened to the rambling ons of the AI always thinking of improvements. "Wait, back up, what was that about Rhodey?"

With a slash of his hand the spray of the shower ceased, Tony stalking to the mirror to brush his teeth, giving his face a once over before deciding the stubble he sported looked suitably rugged before spitting out and rinsing.

"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes is in your workshop, requesting authorization to use the War Machine Designate armour." Jarvis spoke in that crisp voice so modelled after a British accent.

Tony knew Rhodey wouldn't ask for that if it wasn't serious, quickly throwing on a robe of Egyptian cotton Tony made his way to the kitchen. His coffee awaited, making two cups and placing them on a tray as he looked in the fridge until he found some strawberries he'd once again foolishly bought Pepper always seeming to forget in the spur of the moment his allergy. "Her loss."

Tray in hand Tony made his way to his workshop to greet his friend, not the least bit surprised to find him standing at the bed of the only really invited house guest he entertained.

"Rhodey." Tony said quietly handing off a cup of coffee to the career officer.

"Who is she?" Sighing at the usual attitude of his dearest friend Tony walked off to his desk and sat down, munching on a strawberry.

"You've had your clearance upped right? State Secrets, National Enquirer type stuff?" Tony asked before sipping his coffee, Rhodey turning to favour him with that 'spill it' expression he always reserved for moments like this.

"Don't know. Sleeping Beauty works. SHIELD wiped her clean, I had Jarvis look for any hint of her and got nothing. Guess they did it before the shit hit the fan." Tony said, trying even to find traces of the mystery man he'd seen at the bar, crossing the history of Natasha and only finding convenient blanks.

"Why is she here?" Tony could at least smile at that question, an answer in hand.

"Jarvis, bring it up." Looking to the screen a small bullet appeared.

"You'll enjoy this Rhodey, whoever her Prince is, they got SHIELD over the barrel. They've contracted yours truly to get her up and about again. Oh, and by the way of course you have authorization for use of the War Machine armour, no amount of dry cleaning could get your BO out of that thing." Tony threw a wink to his friend, enjoyed his irritation.

Having suitably distracted Rhodey, Tony typed a few keystrokes and brought the entire plan on screen. To his credit Rhodey picked up on the most key point in it all.

"Tony, if I'm reading this right, that's an Arc reactor there." Pointing to just below the virtual girls chest, the holographic representation showed the latest model of the miniaturized Arc reactor.

"Yes it is, no lithium batteries for Sleeping Beauty. This idea has been thrown around a lot but I have the tech to do it. That there Mister Rhodes is a microchip that will interpret the signals that normally travel from the brain and through the nervous system." Tony started, letting the holographic image detail the proposed plan.

"Doing this it then sends the signals down to the interface that will grafted onto the intact section of her spine. Until we can figure out how to repair that damage she'll be represented as another bit of tech I've been working on. Taking all these holograms and creating a virtual avatar for people. It will let her at least interact in the real world, laugh, joke, most likely swoon over yours truly, in essence lead as normal a life as we can create for her." His speech done Tony realized he could help so many people the world over if this tech worked, just the task of finding a way to simplify it down to everyday costs.

"Shit Tony." Rhodey was smiling, Tony liked it when he did that feeling the infectious nature of it, holding up his hand as he swallowed Tony looked to his friend.

"I know, I know, I'm brilliant. It's just going to take a while, that chip was just a blueprint and I won't bore you with the flaws. I'm going to have to damn near build one from scratch. As for the rest, well, I'm afraid she'll be missing the prom." Swivelling his chair about Tony looked to the bed where the girl lay, popping another strawberry in his mouth. Rhodey joined him placing a companionable hand on his shoulder.

"As painful as it might be to hear this Tony, I like the new you better." Tony couldn't help but agree with his friend, looking to the bed then and thinking how to safely rush the first phase.

"Alright, alright. Get out of here, go defend world peace or whatever it is your superiors claim you do. Just bring it back with a full tank of gas." Tony said, punching his friend in the shoulder before pushing him off.

Watching Rhodey then Tony enjoyed the anticipation his friend had as he raced off to the Rack, Jarvis helping him into the armour. With the thrust of the suits jets he watched his friend race off in the very armour he created, knowing well that the ideals he longed for would be well guarded. Looking about the workshop he eyed the erratic and oft malfunctioning robotic helper.

"Just stay away from the fire extinguisher unless I ask for it alright?" The nod the articulate arm did then did little to reassure him as he returned to his computer, summoning an interactive hologram of the interface chip prototype and doing what he did best, making it smaller and better.

* * *

He sat in a coffee shop, out on the patio in a secluded corner, sipped his cup of black brew and looked at the card again as he'd done so many times before. He could feel the Big Guy, saw through his eyes to the irritation that built to anger, from anger to rage. A couple arguing all too loudly, a baby crying, a driver on the street cutting off another, and his own cup of coffee ordered black with no sugar, sitting there with cream and two. He'd learnt long ago how all these seemingly petty things built up, until finally just a moments lapse let him out. He'd feared him at first, but in those years he'd learnt that the Big Guy had a softer side, could known restraint, could be just what the world had needed not long ago, a hero.

Doctor Bruce Banner had taken time since that battle to pay heed to lessons he'd been through, gone to the depths of the desert and let him out, let him free. It made life easier, confronting what he'd fought against for so long, coming to accept it. He was coming to accept a truth he'd been scared of, knowing he wasn't alone any longer, no, in truth knowing he was two people trapped in one body. The Big Guy let him have this moment, just as he'd let him have the desert. Looking at the card again he knew his answer finally, reaching for his cell to dial the numbers. The phone rang for a time, fearing it'd go to voice mail, hearing a snort he alone could hear, a grunt at the slight.

Suddenly he heard someone breathing hard on the other end, heard the man he recognized as Tony Stark yelling at someone, telling them to put it down. A burst of noise, a fire extinguisher Bruce thought, caught the growl Tony gave, heard the Big Guy laughing behind him in the depths of his mind.

"Sorry Doctor Banner, I'll be with you in just one moment. What did I tell you, only if I asked, now put that down!" Tony yelled in the background.

"Sorry Bruce, so, how was your vacation?" Tony asked over the phone.

"Refreshing." Bruce replied, by the time he'd left after everything that had happened he'd known he'd owed the Big Guy for everyone he'd saved, knew just where he wanted to go.

"So, did you think about my offer? I could really use someone with your credentials and brilliance working with me. As for him, well, he did save my life so I'm sure I could find some stuff for him to do. Inexpensive demolition of recently taken over properties springs to mind." Tony remarked over the call.

Looking to a window across the street, he looked at himself, into himself, saw him looking back. Waiting a long moment he saw a nod, knew the two of them were in rare agreement. Blinking away the image Bruce took a sip of his coffee, set it down only to push it away after, unable to finish it.

"I'd love to Tony, both of us." Bruce said, hearing a clap on the other end of the call.

"Alright, where are you? Jarvis? Where are they, oh. Just down the block, well, I guess I won't send a car around for you. See you in ten? Twenty? You know what, take your time. Jarvis will let you in. See you then Doctor Banner, see you both later." Tony said, the call ending.

Bruce knew the last part had been for the other guy, throwing a bill down to the table. Walking out into the street he took a calming breath, closed his eyes and found his centre. Stepping out into the crowd he walked down the street, taking in the sights along the way, making his way to Stark Tower.

* * *

The Tour as it'd been called had been everything he'd needed, everything that the time during the War hadn't been, before he'd finally realized he had to stand up for everything he believed in. He spoke at schools, talked to children, students, veterans of wars that had followed what should have been the very last War. He visited hospitals, felt his heart break seeing the victims of weapons he knew too well, weapons he hadn't ever imagined. Yet despite this they all looked to him for something they all needed, hope. He wouldn't let them down.

Looking up at the tower, something that he could never have imagined before in those years of his life that had become his past, become history, he had to admire Stark, saw the father in the son. Walking up to the doors he watched the people around him look to him, knew even without the costume he stood as something his country needed, a symbol of everything they held dear. He'd always be the Captain, but today he just wanted to be that Brooklyn boy again, to be Steve Rogers.

"Captain?" A man asked, dressed in a tailored suit with a weapon bulge at his chest, he looked more like a quarterback.

"Please, call me Steve. What can I do for you?" Steve asked, reaching a hand out, glad he took it.

"Mister Stark would like me to give you the VIP tour, Mister Jarvis will let me know where I can and can't take you. But I think I should start you with the observation level, really sir, the view is unbelievable." The man said after a time, looking down to the hand he shook, gripped all the tighter.

"Thank you, I'd like that." Steve said, letting himself be lead on to the elevator, once again saw what he needed in the man's eyes, hope.

* * *

Nick looked to her, imagined her sleeping, wished it had been that simple. Reaching a finger out to brush against her ebon locks and remembered her as he'd seen her before, wished he could see her just as she'd been then. Looking at her he thought of another, had seen the reports in the brief time Tony Stark had been assigned to the task.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon." Nick looked up, let a pained smile fall across his lips, savoured the sudden stiffness in a man who always seemed unflappable.

"I've seen your proposal, I have to say it's impressive. As a personal favour I'd like you to consider one more for it." Nick said, handing the folder over.

Tony held it, looked at it, flipped the pages after reading over them so very attentively. Looking up to 'The Spy' as he'd coined him once, he let himself smile, shut the folder before handing it back.

"It'd be my pleasure. I think we both owe him one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Tony said, watching as the man left.

Keystrokes showed him them all, men he'd come to trust with his life, the spy, the soldier, and the discordant twins, the truest Gemini. Realizing he'd become poetic again he walked off to the bar, poured a drink and downed it. Out there were others, an archer, a maiden, and a god. For now he had to wait, knew the world waited with him. Natasha had said it the truest, had told him one night, knew they both had red in the ledger, swore to her then that he'd make sure they both paid that debt. Looking to the girl laying next to him, thinking of a man before her, he figured they'd be just as good a place to start.


	2. Chapter 2

_Marvel owns Iron-man, the Avengers and the X-men. No profit is made from this work. Reviews always welcome._

The rattle of bullets biting into the wall echoed through the warehouse as she raced ahead of the deadly spray. Leaping behind the cover of a derelict forklift Natasha calmed her breath while listening for the heavy step of the men who pursued her. She could see one in the reflection thrown from shattered glass nearby but the other still prowled from behind cover. She had subdued five so far and only these two were left, but these two had gotten off a call for reinforcements that she knew would be here all too soon.

"Come out little girl." The gruff voice called out in heavily accented English from behind the dusty crates.

Letting an irritated sigh free Natasha knew which of the two she'd take to interrogate then. With a swift jump she grasped the towering forks of the lift and swung out landing a kick against the foolish brute that thought he had the better of her. Twisting her legs about his neck she cast him down to the littered floor. Her legs flexed with strength as she choked him until his faltering struggles ceased. Scanning the battlefield Natasha saw the last man emerge with his MP5 raised to blindly spray where she lay ready to pounce. Once again she let an irritated sigh out hearing the familiar taught drawing of a bow and knowing then that the nagging sense being watched hadn't been wrong.

Not to be one upped she raced at the man as he struggled to keep her in the deadly sight of his sub machine gun. Grasping the gun her fingers found the safety and flicked it back faster than he could react, taking a hold of it tightly and twisting it until she heard the satisfying crack of bone mingled with his pained wail. Walking with him towed behind by the trapped trigger finger she looked to the rafters and saw him crouched there letting the tension of his bow relax before returning the drawn arrow back to his quiver.

"What are you doing here Barton?" Natasha asked before wrenching the gun after hearing the rallying breath taken by the wounded man behind her.

The man fell to his knees in pain, dropping the knife he'd thought to pull clearly thinking he had an opening with her back turned. From above Clint looked down at the sorry wretch of a man and smirked.

"Just watching." Clint said before dropping to the warehouse floor after a tumble down some crates.

"Aren't you supposed to be on assignment in Eastern Europe?" Natasha asked turning away from him to regard the man who lay writhing at her feet in pain.

"Done. So, have you found anything?" Clint inquired watching Natasha lean in close to whisper in the ear of the man.

Seeing the resolve of the battered man fade along with the colour of his face only for terror to fill his eyes, Clint knew that Natasha had stopped playing the games she'd been having before. Whimpering and crying the man babbled in broken English with a plea for mercy as he spilled his guts. Natasha listened closely while staring into his eyes with promises of worse fates if he wasted her time.

"No." Natasha gave a sharp kick that silenced the sputtering cries of the man at her feet, hearing all she needed from him.

Clint stared at her and saw the stubborn set to her lips and the clouded expression in her eyes. Looking to the unconscious men that lay about the warehouse he saw the battered and beaten flesh and knew she was working it out in her own fashion. Rumours filled every back ally seedy establishment and he knew more than just Natasha Romanoff was out asking questions in regards to what had happened. Looking to her Clint imagined the people being asked by the others didn't know how lucky they really were.

"It wasn't your fault." Clint softly said taking her chin in his hand.

Reluctantly she met his gaze and he felt his heart twist again looking on the pain she suffered along her path of paying for the red in her ledger.

"It doesn't matter. Fury told me all I need to know, he showed me everything I needed to see." Natasha whispered in reply pulling away from his touch.

"You don't have to do it alone, we're a team remember?" Clint said after her knowing it was a truth long before the Avengers ever graced the front of Time.

The screech of tires and cries of men sounded from out front of the warehouse, both finding an excuse to set aside the mixed emotions they suffered then. Natasha met his gaze and he knew by the fire in her eyes that she still had some issues to deal with.

"So? I'm guessing more people to interrogate?" Clint asked as he drew an arrow from his quiver and readied himself.

"Just stay out of my way." Natasha answered.

Watching her stalk amongst the slumbering bodies, Clint knew he had to let her work it out in her own way. Thinking of the man who she owed so much to, he imagined the punishment the unwitting fools falling on them now were in for and simply didn't know just how grateful they should be that it was her and not him they faced. They didn't call him the Wolverine for nothing Clint mused as he let his first arrow fly in answer to the shaped charge that had just blown a hole in the warehouse wall.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Walking up to the entrance he stopped in his tracks and rubbed his eyes in resigned irritation catching sight of the metal detectors manned by security guards dressed in tailored suits meant for manoeuverability. Pulling out his cell he punched the speed dial that had been programmed in only to hear the voice mail pick up at the first ring.

"Ah hell." Logan spat while hanging up as the formal message played.

Tired, beaten, and recovering from a dose of mercury poisoning that should have killed him, Logan looked to the one place he knew she was safe and cared for and readied himself to find her. He'd seen the news and knew just what he was in for as he milled amongst the crowds of people that came to see the building built by the Ironman, Tony Stark. Stepping through the crowd he caught a scent that lingered and nagged at him in that way of trying to remember a forgotten dream. Brooklyn and the stars and stripes mixed with mortar shells and gunpowder came to him as he neared the security booth with the mountain of a man staring down at him.

"Are you alright sir?" The security guard asked with interest.

Logan smelt the gun oil and Itallian tailoring of the suit and knew the man wasn't your rank and file. Tumbling from the crowd he struggled to find the peace he knew around those special people, people who had become his heart over the years, he found himself again as that memory that clawed at his skull trying to be free finally settled down with the rest of his ghosts. Looking back up to the guard he gave a nod, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Tell Mister Glenlivet Eighteen Years that I owe him a bottle. That's for Stark, if he hangs up you're free to bruise your fists against my ol' Canucklehead all ya want." Logan said all the while shrugging off the strange visions stirred by the familiar scent.

"Mister Logan, you were expected. Please escort our guest to Mister Stark's private elevator." The disembodied British voice called out that left the guard standing rigid and at attention.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Standing at the banks of computer screens that hung before her she watched as one by one they sputtered and died with every cell they represented falling to the forces she had stirred. Smiling she turned away and walked out to the deck of the ship that sailed the northern Atlantic Ocean to savour the scent of the sea in the air. Her cloak whipped against the clawing winds while her hood was torn free with her emerald locks flying freely about her face. About her men stood solemn and at attention ready for her beck and call.

"Then we're ready for phase two?" Madame Hydra asked turning to the man who stood nervously amongst the armed guard.

"Yes Mistress!" The gathering chorused with the armed men crossing their arms across their chests in salute.

"To your posts, he's been kept waiting far too long. Hail Hydra!" Madame Hydra cried out to be joined by the rest assembled.

Turning back to the white capped waves she looked out to the ocean depths that had once held a secret that had been theirs for the taken, a secret lost to them by the meddling hands of self avowed heros. As powerful as Tesseract had been they hadn't been idle in the years since their defeat, plotting and waiting for the day they could return him to his rightful place. Smiling at the thought of it she turned away from the rail and waited for his return and everything it meant for their world. The return to the glory he had envisioned all those years before when the world had been engulfed in the purifying flame of war.

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_Author's Note : Thanks for the reviews, and thanks to the folks who fav'ed it and followed it. Sorry for taking so long to get an update out, work has been a large tiring bother. I hope you enjoy! Just a shortie for now but more to come soon with work dying down finally._


	3. Chapter 3

_Marvel owns Iron-man, the Avengers and the X-men. No profit is made from this work. Reviews always welcome._

"Jarvis, bring it up." Tony said walking about the conference room table.

Blinking into existence a holographic globe appeared, red dots glowing ominously across the nations of the world. Looking to his guests he saw their surprise as they pushed their chairs back to get a closer look. Ever the showman, Tony walked next to Bruce to lean over his fellow scientists shoulder to press one dot. Out of the map the city it had been centred on rose and a screen appeared before it playing a live news cast of a violent protest. Bruce reached to touch another as the same response happened, a story of a car bombing this time.

"So, it's a big TV?" Steve asked from the other side of the room.

Tony grinned, Bruce beside him hesitantly joining in clearly wondering what trick the brilliant industrialist had up his sleeve. Stepping back Tony ran his hand across the world and spun it like a globe, walking up to Steve he saw the out of place Brooklyn boy standing there with his arms across his chest.

"What's wrong with a big TV?" Tony asked with a smile before turning away from him.

"Nothing, but when you said you had something important to show us I thought it would be a little more impressive." Steve replied.

Tony walked back to the spinning world and placed a on it as it stopped, quickly reorientating itself back to mirror the real thing beneath their feet. Leaning against the table Tony looked at it for a long moment. Pushing himself back suddenly he found his phone and tapped at it, the world before him going dark with the cities looking as if from space, candles in the night. With one last tap Tony threw a wink to Bruce as new icons littered the world with screens beside them forever scrolling with information so fast it could hardly be read.

"I actually got the idea for this watching some TV while working on another project, either of you watch that show? It's got the guy in glasses, you know, he was in that other series about that island and some lottery number. No? Okay well, he has a really neat toy in it so I decided I'd make my own." Tony explained.

Sure enough he watched as Bruce looked on amazed, reaching out to touch the icon as once again a screen appeared. After a moment Bruce found his glasses and started reading interested, Tony looking back to Steve wholly smug to see him walking closer and taking a look.

"These are?" Steve asked as he found one himself and pressed it.

"Projections, intuitive guesses, game theory stuff, I'll loan you a movie to watch to bring you up to speed Cap. I had to upgrade Jarvis for it, built a server farm Google would be envious of, but what you're seeing should let us start figuring out just where we should start." Tony explained.

"But for something like this to work you'd have to be listening in on most of the world." Bruce added, taking a look to Tony.

"Well, that was a little easier in places were they're already up to that sort of mischief, I just had to ahem, borrow their data." Tony replied.

"Is this legal?" Steve inquired.

"Well, strictly speaking I found a few loopholes here and there. I had Pepper get legal working on it, and..." Tony began.

The sound of the double doors to the conference room being thrown open cut him off along with the crisp clatter of boots crossing the tile floor.

"He had a silent partner in this endeavour." Nick Fury said walking in with folders tucked under his arm.

Behind him Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton stood in their usual business attire. Watching as Fury pointed to the globe, Tony saw new icons appear across the world with new screens of information. Slowly his own projections were taken over with many shrinking to play out the significance of the new. Steve looked on it as if he had just seen a ghost, looking back to Fury in question.

"Jarvis, please remind me to have a look at your intrusion detection software again, it's clearly malfunctioning." Tony hissed.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt you?" Nick asked in a mocking tone, walking up to the table to throw the files down that carried the same emblem as icons above, looking like a twisted vision of an octopus.

"Sir..." Steve said coming to stand next to Fury.

"You saved the world Cap, and we won the war. But they're still out there and something just stirred them up. We're going to need you again, we're going to need all of you." Nick started with a hand placed on Steve's shoulder and looking to the rest gathered.

His irritation forgotten Tony walked up and started looking over the information, tapping at icon after icon and quickly crafting a picture of just what was upon them.

"Jarvis, cancel the rest of my day." Tony called to the AI.

"Sir, a Mister Logan is here to see you, should I reschedule?" Jarvis asked.

"Yes, I don't know any Mister Logans." Tony said all too occupied with everything he was reading to notice the look Nick and Natasha shared.

"He insists, he says he owes you a bottle of Glenlivet Eighteen Years." Jarvis added, Tony taking a sharp look to Natasha and Nick then.

"Show him in." Tony replied quickly.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Stepping through the doors Logan saw Natasha first and felt a twist in his gut seeing her look away as he caught the stench of regret and anger on her. Looking to the men aside her he found Nick just as unreadable as ever, while Barton just gave him a nod. Stark stood at the table with his back to him, just reading the globe that was littered with the emblem of Hydra. Gritting his teeth Logan just had to wonder how many more would have filled their ranks if their boast were true, having cut his way through their number since he last set foot in New York.

The man with Stark left Logan feeling a growling in the back of his mind as he caught something in the scent of him that spoke of something haunting his shadow. But it was the man who stood apart from them all that struck him the hardest, a figment of a memory called as he looked on him, Captain America.

"You have my bottle?" Stark asked from the conference table.

Reaching into the duffle at his side Logan pulled it out and walked up to the table, setting it down in front of Tony. Looking to another Logan watched Stark take the bottle and opening it to take a healthy swig before handing it back. Joining him Logan looked to the world and couldn't fight the growl that rumbled in his chest.

"Now that all of us are here that could make it, who would like to bring Doctor Banner and Mister Stark up to speed?" Nick asked with a pointed look to Steve and Logan alike.

Logan looked to Steve and thought he caught the faintest hint of recognition in his eyes, gone in a moment as he looked about the room. Taking one last look to the globe he watched Steve take a step closer as he found his voice.

"Hydra, they were the power behind the Third Reich lead by Johann Schmidt. Their technology was advanced even by today's standards but I don't need to tell most of you that." Steve started.

"Yeah, I don't need the history lesson. We beat them didn't we?" Tony asked.

"I saw the Red Skull vanish through a portal like Loki created with the Tesseract." Steve looked to Nick in askance.

Rubbing his eyes and taking a long pull from the bottle, Logan looked at the globe and found that one point that had nearly killed him. Pressing it as he had seen Stark do, it came up with a screen all it's own with information and images passing by. Hanging there was a picture of her from before, nothing but smiles. He didn't need to look next to him to know Tony had frozen stiff.

"Way I hear it they went underground after the war, covert and dealing in every black market front and crime syndicate they could get their hands on to rebuild. Been runnin' into them for years and did what I do best. Their head honcho is Madame Hydra, otherwise known as Viper." Finishing, Logan found the bottle and took one last swig.

"She's also your wife." Clint added, Natasha looking at him sharply as he stared dead at Logan.

"What?" Steve asked wholly surprised looking to Logan.

"Ain't my fault if the kind o' marriages ya get in Madripoor tend to be till death do we part, trust me Barton we've both been doin' our best." Logan growled through gritted teeth glaring at the man.

"That's her handiwork?" Tony asked, his eyes still on the picture that hung there.

The seriousness of his tone defused the tension building at the revelation, everyone looking to the scene of the battle that Logan knew all too well. With video playing muted of the rescue effort, Tony finished the last of the bottle and turned his back to the screen to walk to the double doors of the conference room.

"I think I know why you came here Logan, I'll show you to her. I'll give you a hand with that divorce too." Tony said over his shoulder as he threw the doors open to vanish beyond them.

Walking after him Logan left the rest to everything they were up against, needing to see her more than ever after all the painful reminders of how much he had failed her.

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While from the outward appearances it looked as any super cargo ship laden with containers as it travelled well out of the shipping lanes of the Atlantic. Walking through the depths of it Madame Hydra, or more simply Viper, looked on the facility her endeavours had built. Standing stoical and alert around her were her soldiers who guarded the brilliant minds she had gathered. High above a large screen showed their course on a map of the world, a red triangle marking their final destination beneath which their ETA counted down now with only in tens minutes to spare.

"Doctor?" Viper called in a sultry tone.

Out of the crowd of men and women a man looked up with a balding pate and thick glasses perched on his brow. Slipping them on he looked at her nervously before giving instructions to the trio aside him. Smiling, Viper waited for him to come to her and bow with an attempt at the salute she expected. Patting him gently on the head she walked with him through the laboratory.

"Is everything on schedule?" Viper inquired.

"Yes, yes! Everything is perfect, I promise Madame Hydra! We're already detecting the first flux of trace particles. They match exactly with those we found of the Manhattan Event." The man assured as he pulled out his tablet and started once again reading over the data.

"The device?" Viper asked looking to the thing that took up so very much of the space within the laboratory.

"We're just making the last final adjustments with the latest data we collected. It will work, but...I cannot assure you that you will find what you are looking for. The universe is vast..." The man stammered only to be silenced as he found a gloved finger press against his lips.

"That is all I need to know Doctor, you would do well not to underestimate just the sort of man he is. Go back to work now." Viper replied to see the relief in his eyes as he raced back to his peers.

Looking back up to the screen as it counted down, she knew the long wait would be over soon enough. With a glance to the soldiers under her command she took pleasure in watching as they all saluted her as one. She had spent her life in service to Hydra to rise to the rank as it's Madame, but now with everything that had happened she knew the world was ready for the return of it's Master.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

He thought he had been ready, but one glance to her buried in everything that kept her alive Logan felt ashamed as he turned to leave. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he looked to see Tony standing there holding him with his steely gaze. He could see the questions that lingered in those eyes of his but just now Logan wasn't ready to answer. He imagined Tony saw as much as he let go and turned to head into his workshop.

"Thanks..." Logan added as he started to walk away.

"Don't worry about it, Sleeping Beauty here has grown on me." Tony called from the doorway.

Pausing to turn back, Logan took one last look at her laying there looking so small and helpless and remembered her before. He had tried to keep her out of all the bad business he always got caught up in, but in the end it had found her and he hadn't been there to save her. He owed Stark more than just answers as the man passed through the door and settled down at his desk. Music started to play Logan noticed, something he had heard before but just couldn't place, some haunting classical piece. Promising to pay that debt soon he left to find a balm for the wounds that had just been torn open anew.

A trip through some back alleys and some fights later he found himself in some bar that he hadn't caught the name of and didn't care. The beer was cold, the clientele quiet and the music playing was country western. Four beers in with matching shots of whisky he was just starting to feel the first hint of a buzz as he struggled to keep up with his own betraying body. The bartender was a woman who looked like she had seen enough bullshit in her life to brook no more, and probably was a looker before the years caught up with her. Throwing down some bills he told her to keep the change as he ordered another and pounded back his beer.

"You're gettin' a little close to that point I start wondering if I should cut you off, so I'll tell you this. I don't want any trouble in my bar, so if you want me to keep servin' ya I want ya to promise me that." The bartender said as she set the latest beer down with a shot of whisky beside it.

"I'll do my best darlin'." Logan replied before taking the shot and raising it in toast, downing it after.

"Your best better be good enough." The barkeep said as she took the empty glass to add to the rest.

Something about her reminded him of a friend he hadn't seen in years, another woman in a bar across the world in that seedy place that so much of his life had been spent in. Lost to thought while sipping on his beer he didn't notice the door open and the look most of the clients threw to the man who walked in. The stool next to him found company and the bartender came up with a glass of what just smelt to Logan to be club soda. Looking next to him he found the last person he expected to see sitting there sipping on his drink looking out of place.

"Doesn't look like the kinda place you'd frequent Doc." Logan said taking a long pull on his beer.

"You'd be surprised at some of the places I've been." Bruce replied.

"How did ya find me?" Logan asked, throwing down a bill to pay for the good doctor's drink.

"I'm used to finding for places where most people won't go looking for me." Bruce said quietly.

Something about the man spoke to him, remembering thinking that there was something just hiding in the corner of his eye or lingering in his shadow. Dismissing the thought he turned to face the bar and the bottles lined up behind it, waiting and wondering just why he was here.

"Stark send ya?" Logan asked as the silence lingered too long.

"Tony? No, he's still in his lab last I saw. I thought I would see you there but he told me you left." Bruce remarked as he took a sip of his club soda and looked around the bar at all the curious items hung on the wall.

Looking to Bruce, something about his quiet nature started to unnerve Logan in the way he seemed unflappable. Pounding back his beer he ordered another and a double shot of whisky. Shaking his head he waited for his round and figured he might as well get it over with.

"What do you want Doc?" Logan asked gruffly.

"I just wanted to ask you who she is. Tony has his own name, but I thought I would ask you." Bruce questioned with a soft smile as he took a moment to order another club soda.

That they didn't even know that left Logan wondering just what strings Fury had pulled, remembering the favour he himself had worked himself to ask when he thought he was getting her clear of any danger. She gave him hell, but in the end she had seen it his way and gone to life with his friends up in Canada.

"Her name's Jubilee." Logan softly replied.

Bruce smiled and seemed to wait, sipping at his soda water saying nothing. He didn't need to say anything Logan felt, something about him just feeling like kindred then.

"I got low at one point, something bad happened and I was hurtin'. She found me half mad and out of my mind and instead o' bein' scared and runnin', she kicked my arse and helped me get over it. She was a lifeline right when I needed it, and I owe her and plan on paying it in full." Logan explained with his voice pained at recalling that time.

"I think I know how you felt." Bruce said after a time.

Logan was about to call him on it but as he looked to the good doctor beside him, looked into his eyes, he knew was speaking the honest truth. Shaking his head Logan turned to catch the attention of the bartender, calling for another round and a vodka club this time. As the drink was set before Bruce he looked at it for a long moment.

"Ya don't drink?" Logan asked.

"Not...in a long time, but I think maybe just this once I don't have to worry too much." Bruce answered as he looked to the mirror hidden behind the bottles, looked right through it and beyond.

Logan could have swore he saw something as he looked at the man's reflection but shrugged it off, raising his beer in toast with Bruce.

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	4. Chapter 4

_Marvel owns Iron-man, the Avengers and the X-men. No profit is made from this work. Reviews always welcome._

Watching the screen as the seconds ticked away, Viper felt her blood racing as across the board the digits fell in concert to strike zero. She could feel the ship stop, the captain and crew undoubtedly working hard to follow the directions shouted by the surprisingly commanding female doctor next to her. Smiling, she gave a nod to one of the soldiers at her side and saw he understood as he looked to the woman. Talent was easy to find, but conviction another thing entirely. Looking to the icon that represented their vessel, it pulsed a vicious red on the screen, pairs of latitude and longitude struggling to match with the rocking waves battering their ship.

"Doctor?" Viper asked of the balding man.

"Forgive me Madame, we're working to get the device in alignment. The ship...isn't an ideal platform, we are struggling to meet the acceptable margin of error." The doctor professed.

Letting him go back to his work, she had patience enough for the delay within reason. She had spent years finding this place, just as long delving into Hydra's glorious past to find out everything she could about that day. Then months ago it had happened, everything she needed falling into place when a God of Asgard had split the heavens and unleashed destruction on Manhattan. Since that day she had hunted and stalked those men and women who had been under his thrall, found them and learnt their secrets and the knowledge they swore had been gifted to them by the cube. Looking at the device before her, it felt an imperfect forgery but it only had to work but for a moment.

"Alignment achieved, point zero zero zero one seven two deviation. Solar weather forecast is clear, no noticeable change in the trace particles." The lady doctor next to her called out, going back to her duty of keeping the ship just where it needed to be.

Smiling, Viper walked up to the device and ran a hand along it. Hovering there looking like a mirage, a cube flickered in and out of sight as she looked at it. Hidden below them with an umbilical running to the ship was another one of those things it was possible to find after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a nuclear powered submarine. The engine was running past safety margins, but then the crew wouldn't be of much further use.

"Doctor, if you would?" Viper asked kindly, taking a step back with her guard collapsing about her.

Taking his place at the control console, he started the sequence that had that mirage glow bright and become real. Lashing out of it a bolt struck the array above as the universe was revealed to them. Looking on worlds she had never dreamt existed, they faded only to be replaced by more in a driven march through the cosmos. Finally looking on the latest she saw him standing over the rent and bloodied corpses of an alien people. Battle raged around him with an army at his command, a sword in hand to cleave another that had fallen in his path. He was just asmagnificent as she had heard.

"There!" Viper screamed in a rare lapse of control.

The Doctor looked above and paled, typing away at the console as the cube started to throb with energy. Cracks appeared in it, but in that window she saw light engulf him before he vanished. The portal twisted and shattered the array, clawing out to tear at the walls of her ship. Tumbling out drenched in black blood and clad in armour, he rose to look around with the bloodlust of a conqueror of old in his eyes. With her soldiers joining her, she threw her arms across her chest in salute.

"Hail Hydra!" Viper cried in chorus with her legion.

A twisted smile graced his lips as he looked around, wiping the blood from his blade and sheathing it. With a glance to the portal that raged out of control behind him he started walking to the stairs unperturbed, no order needing to be issued. Taking her place behind him, Viper followed him and listened the screams as those select few were dragged away while the rest were left to their fate. Emerging on the deck more saluted, the two helicopters there ready to spirit them away. Climbing in the nearest with him, they looked down on the ship as the portal clawed it's way through it and into the very ocean itself. In the blink of an eye it vanished, along with everything caught in it's grasp, a left hole to be filled by the thunderous crash of waves.

"I have walked in the realm of the gods and spilt their blood . In all that time I waited, waited knowing you had not forgotten. How long has it been?" He asked looking down to the sea.

"Nearly seventy years." Viper answered to see him favour with an understanding look.

Nodding, he looked back to the ocean in thought. She had nearly told him the obvious, that they had been beaten so long ago. The words died in her throat seeing the wisdom in his eyes then, foolish to think he might need to be coddled. Looking on him, she felt the majesty of his presence that had been lost to them for too long, but now the world was ready for his return, the return of the Red Skull.

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It took as long for the alert to go out as it took for the burst of gamma radiation traveling at light speed to hit the still running detectors around the world, for the information to be gathered and crunched by the complex threat assessment algorithms. Calls were made and cars sent, but finally the available members of the Avengers stood watching the holographic globe over the conference room table with all eyes on icon that blinked in the Atlantic Ocean.

"I've got parallel diagnostics running, but it looks like the real deal." Tony said with Bruce at his side going over the data pouring in.

On the large screen that hung in the air, linked to a SHIELD satellite making a pass, onlyocean could be seen with nothing threatening or unusual. Racing across the globe with the emblem of SHIELD as their icons, the scrambled jets flew to the point for a sortie.

"I don't know Tony, look at this. There's something off, the gamma is at the weakest end of the range we set those detectors for." Bruce countered, raising his glasses to rub his eyes before getting back to his calculations.

"Occam's Razor, what else in the world is even going to hit the weak end?" Tony argued.

"It only lasted for a few minutes though, there's something I don't like about this." Bruce carried on while running a hand through his hair.

Stepping closer to the globe, Steve looked at it for a long time before drawing a line with his hand.

"Where did Howard find the Tesseract again?" Steve asked aloud, Tony looking up from his screen.

The globe zoomed in at the behest of Jarvis, the anomalous alert only kilometres away from the discovery site. Tony and Bruce shared a look while Steve looked lost to thought, the rest just standing with unreadable expressions.

"Okay, that is just way too close for coincidence. Jarvis, get my jet ready and pack my good suit. Bruce, would you like to join me for a look?" Tony asked of his peer.

"I'll go too." Steve said for Tony to turn on him.

"Thanks, but no, your IQ has to be this high to go on this ride." Tony said with a raised hand, Steve crossing his arms to stare him down.

"If that's what we think it is you'll need help." Steve said, Tony just sparing a look to Bruce.

"I think we got this covered between Ironman, Bruce and the Big Guy." Tony started only to turn serious, "Besides, if that _is_ what we think it is and something came out, we don't even know where it is or where it went. You just might need to go looking for it."

Begrudging the rare tact and compromise, Steve threw a hand out for a shake, doing the same for Bruce as he passed. Left to stare at the globe and wonder, he couldn't help the worry that gnawed at him thinking of everything that had happened in the skies above that stretch of water years before.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Walking back into the conference room after seeing both Tony and Bruce off, Steve looked around to find just the gruff man who had come just sitting off out on the balcony with a cigar looking thoughtful. He had been left with that nagging sense of familiarity, as if he'd seen him somewhere once and he just couldn't remember. Joining him, Steve leaned against the railing to look over the city once more.

"If you're lookin' for Nick, last I heard he was out makin' sure World War III wasn't about to break out. Something about avoiding another Vela Incident." Logan remarked.

"Thank you." Steve said, finding himself staring at the man again.

"Any reason you're eyeballin' me?" Logan asked.

"Did you have a grandfather in the service by any chance?" Steve asked finally.

"Can't say I'd rightly know that." Logan said after a thoughtful pause.

"Sorry. So...you know Nick?" Steve said, moving the conversation along and elsewhere.

"You might say he's an acquaintance." Logan remarked, taking a slow pull of his cigar.

With an apologetic smile Steve turned back to the city, the quiet manner of the man across from him leaving him feeling like he was intruding.

"So...whose callin' the shots around here?" Logan asked after a time.

Looking back, Steve found himself looking into steely grey eyes that held a look he had seen countless times before, eyes that knew the horror of the battlefield and the real cost of a man's life. He found himself looking away, thinking on the question instead just to shake the memories that came flooding back then.

"I don't think that's really how this team works." Steve answered.

That he had called orders so easily as he had before hadn't been that he was leading men, it had been that he trusted them as much as the trust they had placed in him. Tony was a wildcard true, but on that day he had seen something in the man he hadn't thought to find, a selflessness just when it was needed. Hearing the creak of a chair, he turned to find Logan standing next to him and leaning with him looking over the city.

The nagging sense of deja vu came in full force, the aroma of the cigar smoke mingling then with the unmistakable scent of gunpowder and mud. The city below lay in ruin amidst bombed out houses and the distant rumble of tanks along cobblestone roads. Next to him Logan stood dressed in army fatigues with a helmet tucked under his arm, a stub of a cigar in his lips and the filth of the battlefield on his face. Gone in the blink of an eye, Steve caught Logan looking on him in question.

"Sorry...for a moment, well. Nevermind." Steve said.

Taking his leave, he wrote it off with the nagging worry he still felt with everything happening in the Atlantic and the mystery behind it. Unnoticed in that moment was the look Logan threw him as he walked off, just as lost to the moment for the blink of an eye.


	5. Chapter 5

Marvel owns Iron-man, the Avengers and the X-men. No profit is made from this work. Reviews always welcome.

He had been putting it off for far too long, and as the doors to that floor his fingers had struggled to call for in the elevator he caught a scent of someone he hadn't been expecting to find here of all places. With urgency guiding his steps he rushed down the hall and found the doors to the Workshop of Tony Stark opening for him even before he got to them, likely that Jarvis thing playing the perfect butler to the guests of his master. In with the familiar smells of grease and oil he caught the stench everything that he hated about hospitals striking him the gut, knocking the strength from his legs as he felt to his knees.

There she laid looking like she was sleeping, looking all the smaller than he remembered buried under so much medical equipment he had to fight against the rage that longed to have him pop his claws and hunt down Viper this very moment. But she wasn't alone, for one second seeing a girl turn to look at him only to witness her mature before his eyes into the woman who greeted him. Dressed just like any of the other SHIELD goons running around, Logan stared at her for a long moment until he broke out laughing.

"Good to see you too Logan." Kitty said quietly, her hand holding Juiblee's.

"When ya said you were gettin' a government job..." Logan said having regained his composure, a sobering look at Jubilee all it took.

"You didn't expect me to go calling Nick up?" Kitty asked with an arched eyebrow.

Shaking his head, he got to his feet and found a nearby mechanics stool and pulled it up by the bed. Reaching a trembling finger to brush against her cheek, he couldn't bring himself to do it until Kitty took it in her own and guided him. She felt cool to the touch and looked pale as parchment, he could still smell blood on her and he couldn't bring himself to imagine what laid under the comforter she was bundled up in. He had tried his best to get her out of that sort of life, he had tried that much for the both of them, but here he was sitting with his Darlin's only to find them neck deep in that life.

"Kitten..." Logan started as he turned to look to the woman at his side.

"Don't, I made my own choices. We all have to grow up sometime Wolvie..." Kitty said softly, using that nickname from years before she had passed on to the girl who laid in a coma before her.

That's all he wanted for them both, to just grow up and get to live their own lives away from all the trouble that followed him. He wondered if Viper had made any tries on Kitty herself, feeling a pit of pain swallow up his stomach for thinking of it for the first time ever since it had happened. He'd been too caught up with trying to save Jubilee to do more than throw out a text to Kitty, expecting her to take care of herself as she always proved herself so capable of. There was a lot of red between that time and now, wondering just how many people he had killed looking for the one responsible for it all.

"I should have called ya sooner..." Logan croaked in a hoarse voice.

Her answer came as she wrapped her arms about his broad frame and hugged him, resting her chin on his shoulder and staring past him. He was left to stare down at the youngest of the girls he had taken on, the one that had saved him when the chips had been down and he had been about to pay all his debts up. He had tried to pay her back, had sent her off to somewhere she should have been safe, maybe he should have just taken them both and ran and never looked back. Forget about it all and start over, too late for that now.

"I got your text, and that's what counts. Nick, he got me in here for security even if that's just gonna be a big clusterfuck." Kitty laughed, the laugh of one who fought against tears.

"Just what the hell are ya doin' dressed up like that anyways Kitten?" Logan asked, drawing away from the embrace to look at her.

"Katherine Pryde, Agent of SHIELD at your service." Kitty huffed.

"Yer shitting me?" Logan barked.

"I shit you not." Kitty growled, poking a finger into his chest.

"Do they know about..." Logan asked, realizing that they had some eavesdropping AI likely keeping an eye on them.

"Need to know, the people that need to, well...they know. Everyone else just calls me Boris." Kitty smiled.

"Boris?" Logan asked with an arched eyebrow.

"The Bullet Dodger?" Kitty asked, Logan just showing complete incomprehension.

"As soon as Mister Stark has Phase One complete we are going to school you." Kitty laughed, smiling down to the seemingly sleeping Jubilee.

"Phase One?" Logan asked without his eyebrow falling.

"It's a joke of his, kinda a stab at SHIELD. But don't worry, you'll like it." Kitty promised.

"If you say so." Logan said softly, looking back down to Jubilee and finding himself believing more in Tony after meeting the man to come through where SHIELD had made the promise.

"I'll leave you two alone, just...talk to her. It's supposed to help, just tell her you're there." Kitty said with a kiss to his cheek, excusing herself.

Left alone in the workshop, Logan did just that and started to just talk about anything and everything. From the bikes he saw lined up on the wall promising to steal one to take the kid out for a ride, to swearing he'd never let anything bad ever happen to her again even if he was sure she'd call bullshit on that. She was a bit of a realist, an old soul that had resonated with him so easily. She was already just a pup and knew how hard the world was by the time she found him, knowing everything he had tried to shield Kitty from that had still found her.

Maybe it was just a little lie he told himself he figured, that he could protect all the shit the world piled out so freely and try and keep a bit of good in them he didn't feel he had left in him except when he was around them.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"I just have one question for you..." Tony asked walking into the staff bar.

Kitty turned to greet the man that had been her onetime employer who had actually paid for her internship. Ordering up a glass of scotch of the man, she enjoyed her vodka tonic and imagined she knew just what it was after having a talk to her 'other' mentor that one time.

"No, I wasn't a plant. This was the other offer." Kitty said as he took a stool next to her.

"Well, actually that does clear up a few other questions I had for you, but I just wanted to know how you, Sleeping Beauty, and Mister Glenlivett Eighteen Years know one another." Tony chuckled.

A trip to the North Atlantic left him with a thirst, ordering up a beer to sate it before he enjoyed the drink the lovely lady had graciously had waiting. While she looked a bit older and he had to admit there were something the SHIELD uniforms just did right as far as a ladies figure, he could still see that nerdy intern that kept Jarvis on his toes finding holes in his network security.

"Is it too late for a counter offer?" Tony asked, hissing in satisfaction after pounding back his beer and moving onto his scotch at a slow and sedate pace to enjoy it in the fullest.

"What's the counter offer?" Kitty teased, suckling on her lime.

"Well, SHIELD isn't the only game in town these days. I'm sure I could offer a competitive wage, tickets to any Stones or AC/DC concert anywhere in the world, I might even thrown in a Quinjet." Tony said with mock humility.

"I'll think about it." Kitty laughed lightly, dropping the rind in her drink.

"What's her name?" Tony asked out of the blue, going back to question one after Jarvis had alerted him to a familiar attack on his network.

"Jubilation, Jubilation Lee. She likes Jubilee, or Jubes and Lee." Kitty revealed, having helped erase the girls past herself.

"Quid Quo Pro." Tony posed.

"You and Pepper?" Kitty asked, recalling the rumours she had been hearing from the likes of Uncle Phil himself.

"Guilty, and...guilty in all those naughty kind of ways." Tony chuckled.

"Mister Stark, I believe that fell under Need to Know, I did not Need to Know." Kitty laughed, sipping her cocktail.

"How many times must I tell you..." Tony said with a sip.

"Can I call you Anthony instead?" Kitty asked.

"That's worse than Mister Stark coming from a pretty lady." Tony groused.

"Should I ask Jarvis to tattle on you?" Kitty asked with an arched eyebrow.

"What, that I am having a conversation with a former employee that I am trying to bring back into the fold, I am sure she would only encourage me." Tony said with a pout.

"You're incorrigible." Kitty laughed, finding it a balm to her soul after all the reports that had been coming in across SHIELD as far as those Agents who knew both her and Logan, reports that told the story of retribution.

"I'm glad you're well." Kitty said after a silence had stretched between them.

"I guess you heard about my brush with death." Tony asked, calling for another round.

"Which one?" Kitty posed.

"The one that it turned out my father had hidden in his version of Epcot right under my nose, but as far as the man who I thought was my father's best friend betraying me and nearly killing me, well..." Tony rambled.

"What about where you flew a tactical nuke through an Asgardian Portal to save the world?" Kitty asked.

"That was a team effort, oh...actually...are you single?" Tony inquired as he brightened up.

"That's Need to Know." Kitty said with a moue of her distaste.

"No, no. Trust me, this I need to know." Tony said eagerly.

"Well, if you must know...yes, I am single." Kitty huffed, snatching his scotch and savouring a sip.

"Perfect, I'll have my people call your people. There's someone I want you to meet. Do you have a dress? Dress uniform? You know what, just talk to Pepper and she'll handle it." Tony asked, shrugging the whole thing off realizing he had people he paid to deal with the fiddly bits and details of his ideas.

Having a larger swallow of her stolen scotch, Kitty wondered with the genius billionaire was up to but figured he was owed whatever it was if he got her 'kid sister' back to bothering her and driving her crazy.

"Okay, I'll call Pepper. But if this plays out in anyway I fear it might, then I may be forced to utilize my training." Kitty promised.

"Trust me, you'll like this." Tony swore back.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Author's Note : Nope, haven't forgotten this fic, sorry it's taken so long for an update. Just wanted to get something out to get the ball rolling and get another character in the mix :) Also threw it back to Comic-Verse Wolverine. Toodles.


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